How do pushup??

....so on the recommendation of someone on this board, and wanting to get into better shape, I picked a copy of New Rules of Lifting and my fiancee and I are currently working through the beginner's routine. Deadlifts, squats, awesomeness all around.

Now, I admit that I'm rather weak and can't bench a thing, and she's never done any weight training at all before, so for the pushups in the beginner routine (it's in a superset with crunches), I'm doing them on my knees. But my fiancee can't even manage that, her core and lower back collapse on the way down (sort of like an ugly reverse upwards dog in yoga) before she bends her arms.

It looked so bad that I had her do one of the chest press machines instead, but I know that's not the same exercise.

Anyone have any tips for working up to good pushups if you can't even manage from the knees yet?

Non-professional advice is to do so-called "lazy pushups." Kids often have an easier time with them.

Start flat face-down on the floor, palms under your shoulders, and push your shoulders up, then your hips, then your knees. Reverse the process to get back to the original position: knees go down 1st, then hips, then shoulders. Do it on a pad so you don't clonk your knees.

....so on the recommendation of someone on this board, and wanting to get into better shape, I picked a copy of New Rules of Lifting and my fiancee and I are currently working through the beginner's routine. Deadlifts, squats, awesomeness all around.

Now, I admit that I'm rather weak and can't bench a thing, and she's never done any weight training at all before, so for the pushups in the beginner routine (it's in a superset with crunches), I'm doing them on my knees. But my fiancee can't even manage that, her core and lower back collapse on the way down (sort of like an ugly reverse upwards dog in yoga) before she bends her arms.

It looked so bad that I had her do one of the chest press machines instead, but I know that's not the same exercise.

Anyone have any tips for working up to good pushups if you can't even manage from the knees yet?

I might offer a quick suggestion for push-up's off of a wall? The more you lean forward, the more 'resistance' you're offered. By 'lean', I'm just referring to how far you stand away from said wall and the angle of your body when you rest against it. If that's not offering any real trouble for her, she could try them inclined as well. Not exactly spectacular advice I know, I'm sure a few more in the know bullies will be along shortly though :)

Also, to isolate the arms/leave out the lower-back&abdominal effort: have her lay on her back, then, from a North&South position, lay your chest on her hands as if she was doing a bench press but you're the weight instead.

You can assist her as you're in a standard push-up
position and get some work yourself. Press-up for her, push-up for you.

Also, to isolate the arms/leave out the lower-back&abdominal effort: have her lay on her back, then, from a North&South position, lay your chest on her hands as if she was doing a bench press but you're the weight instead.

You can assist her as you're in a standard push-up
position and get some work yourself. Press-up for her, push-up for you.

I might offer a quick suggestion for push-up's off of a wall? The more you lean forward, the more 'resistance' you're offered. By 'lean', I'm just referring to how far you stand away from said wall and the angle of your body when you rest against it. If that's not offering any real trouble for her, she could try them inclined as well. Not exactly spectacular advice I know, I'm sure a few more in the know bullies will be along shortly though :)

You took the words right out of my mouth/keyboard.

For the OP, my g/f is on her 6month of pregnancy and cannot do push ups off the floor anymore, so she started doing wall push ups. However, with both hands, they were waay too easy for her, so she's now doing one-hand wall push ups, body angled about 60 degrees, feet shoulder-width apart.

Basically what I'm saying is that, as Akara suggested, wall push ups would be the way to go. And in addition to that, your g/f can add more resistance by doing them with one hand only and/or changing the distance between her feet and the wall.

She might also want to do planks for time rather than push ups. Usually pple can't do push ups not for lack of upper body strenght, but for lack of core and (!surprise!) back strength.

The street argument is retarded. BJJ is so much overkill for the street that its ridiculous. Unless you're the idiot that picks a fight with the high school wrestling team, barring knife or gun play, the opponent shouldn't make it past double leg + ground and pound - Osiris

For the OP, my g/f is on her 6month of pregnancy and cannot do push ups off the floor anymore, so she started doing wall push ups. However, with both hands, they were waay too easy for her, so she's now doing one-hand wall push ups, body angled about 60 degrees, feet shoulder-width apart.

Basically what I'm saying is that, as Akara suggested, wall push ups would be the way to go. And in addition to that, your g/f can add more resistance by doing them with one hand only and/or changing the distance between her feet and the wall.

She might also want to do planks for time rather than push ups. Usually pple can't do push ups not for lack of upper body strenght, but for lack of core and (!surprise!) back strength.

"Judo is a study of techniques with which you may kill if you wish to kill, injure if you wish to injure, subdue if you wish to subdue, and, when attacked, defend yourself" - Jigoro Kano (1889)
***Was this quote "taken out of context"?***

"The judoist has no time to allow himself a margin for error, especially in a situation upon which his or another person's very life depends...."
~ The Secret of Judo (Jiichi Watanabe & Lindy Avakian), p.19

"Hope is not a method... nor is enthusiasm."
~ Brigadier General Gordon Toney